I’m Marina Bruce — the Desert Diva.

I was bitten by the sand-bug in 2009, swapping the oil winds of Aberdeen for the dunes and date palms of Al Ain, where a 4×4 opened the door to the wild bits of the Arabian Peninsula that tourists rarely see from a coach window. Many would call it madness; I call it my driving CV.

From 2012 to 2024, I served as a marshal at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, driving the route through dust storms, waypoints,  desert navigation rescues, and a few very cold volunteer mornings. ON the ground, in all seasons, from 2011 right through to 2024, I marshalled  with a notebook in hand and sand in my boots.

In 2019, I founded Xpedition Arabia, a venture built for smart, small-group exploration: guided self-drive adventures in Oman, co-led by me and a local Omani guide who knows every village-route, mountain-top, desert-dune and tea-house worth stopping for. Our trips followed experience, not crowds, with care, camaraderie, and curiosity at the wheel.

Before that, in 2016, I launched Desert Diva Events and Adventures – organising desert and outdoor experiences across the Emirates and Oman, keeping convoy sizes human, with plenty of space for stories, and a nod to safety and tyres that can be trusted.

I’ve co-founded my own off-road club Oasis Offroad, supported journalists and film crews, and encouraged more new drivers than I can tally on a flip chart. I built communities around the idea that adventure should be shared, planned meticulously, executed respectfully, and celebrated fully, at the end of each day, at sunset.

Today, I’m based back on the Moray Firth in my native Scotland, working as a travel concierge under the trusted, ATOL-protected family of Merlin Travel Group via my agency, Arabian Cities and Sands.

But don’t be fooled — nobody crafts practical route guides remotely forever. I head back to the Arabian Peninsula at least three times each year to check road notes, scout hotels, greet old friends, and map new things properly (usually over qawah – Arabic coffee).

Travel ethos

• Endless deserts, sublime coastlines, and beautiful cities

• Self-drive routes that balance sense with surprise

• Cultural immersion that feels like an invitation, not a lecture

• Food research that includes allergies, real menus, and honest map pins

• Travel that earns “been there, done that, drank the tea” stories

Who comes along?

Adventure is not gated by age. There’s no upper limit for curiosity or adventure — if you’re blessed with good health and reasonably mobile, come on over. Desert roads have space for youngsters and silver-haired wanderers alike. If you are under 18, you’re very welcome too; simply be accompanied by a responsible adult. If you’re under 18 and reading this, you are brave, brilliant, and early — I salute you — but come with an adult who can sign the forms and drive the car legally.

Financial bits — clear and simple

Primary currency for payment: GBP (£)
Also accepted, where needed: USD ($) and EUR (€)
Payment methods: Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, or personal American Express (yes – even the American kind, if it lives in your wallet rather than a corporate expense portal)

No lecturey small print — just common sense

✔ First visits deserve real notes
✔ Convoys move wiser when they’re planned, not crowded
✔ Boots get dusty, tyres get aired down, sunsets get shared
✔ Maps should carry the magic so you can make the memories